This invention relates generally to an automatic retractable shade unit and more particularly to a new and novel mounting case for a retractable shade which permits the unit to be capable of being mounted on a solid surface such as curved windshields as well as on straight non-curved windshields or windows or the like.
With the increased number of automobiles and trucks available today along with the many models, the number and types of windshields can be exceedingly large. While the straight non-curved windshield is not often used, the curved windshield for automobiles and trucks has become the accepted standard. Most curved windshields are curved in both the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction. Many also have non-parallel vertical sides with generally parallel horizontal top and bottom surfaces.
These multi-curved windshields with non-parallel vertical sides are aesthetically pleasing and go well with the streamlined lines of the car or truck. However the multi-curved windshield can cause problems whenever an accessory is to be mounted or attached to the windshield since the curves are often very complex and hard to define. The applicant's automatic retractable shade, as described in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,180, issued Oct. 4, 1988, would be one example of such an accessory that could be attached to the windshield. This novel shade was designed to attach to the inside of a windshield and/or to also be removable for repositioning elsewhere in the vehicle in the embodiment shown in the patent.
The reader is invited to study this patent in depth for a fuller understanding of the novel shade unit and its pleated sun protecting features as well as its retraction mechanism positioned in the case of the shade. The present application is directed to improving on the mounting of the shade unit of U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,180 so that a more positive attachment of the unit can be accomplished regardless of the curve of the windshield or the non-curve or straightness of the window surface. In other words, the applicant's present invention provides a much improved universal type mounting of the shade unit onto any type of windshield which is then better able to withstand repeated removals and re-attachments of the shade unit to the windshield and is better able to hold to a windshield when the removal feature is not used.
Various suction cup mounting means have been attempted for sun shades as typified in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,090 of Gavrieli, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,859 of Park, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,042 of Liu, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,980 of Eubanks and the U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,102 of Ebrahimzadeh. Adhesive type mountings have also been used as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,358 of Levosky et al and in the before described U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,180 of the applicant which also used suction cups as described. Permanent shade mountings have also been tried for window curtains as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 289,573 of Scott. None of these past mounting methods would provide the holding ability of the applicant's present invention.